近年来,眼科人工智能(artificial intelligence,AI)迅猛发展,眼底影像因易获取及其丰富的生物信息成为研究热点,眼底影像的AI分析在眼底影像分析中的应用不断深入、拓展。目前,关于糖尿病性视网膜病变(diabetic retinopathy,DR)、年龄相关性黄斑变性(age-related macular degeneration,AMD)、青光眼等常见眼底疾病的临床筛查、诊断和预测已有较多AI研究,相关成果已逐步应用于临床实践。除眼科疾病以外,探究眼底特征与全身各种疾病之间的关系并据此研发AI诊断系统已经成为当下的又一热门研究领域。AI应用于眼底影像分析将改善医疗资源紧缺、诊断效率低下的情况,为多种疾病的筛查和诊断开辟“新赛道”。未来眼底影像AI分析的研究应着眼于多种眼底疾病的智能性、全面性诊断,对复杂性疾病进行综合性的辅助诊断;注重整合标准化、高质量的数据资源,提高算法性能、设计贴合临床的研究方案。
In recent years, artificial intelligence (AI) in ophthalmology has developed rapidly. Fundus image has become a research hotspot due to its easy access and rich biological information. The application of AI analysis in fundus image is under continuous development and exploration. At present, there have been many AI studies on clinical screening, diagnosis and prediction of common fundus diseases such as diabetic retinopathy (DR), age-related macular degeneration (AMD), and glaucoma, and related achievements have been gradually applied in clinical practice. In addition to ophthalmic diseases, exploring the relationship between fundus features and various diseases and developing AI diagnostic systems based on this has become another popular research field. The application of AI in fundus image analysis will improve the shortage of medical resources and low diagnostic efficiency, and open up a “new track” for screening and diagnosis of various diseases. In the future, research on AI analysis of fundus image should focus on the intelligent and comprehensive diagnosis of multiple fundus diseases, and comprehensive auxiliary diagnosis of complex diseases, and lays emphasis on the integration of standardized and high-quality data resources, improve algorithm performance, and design clinically appropriate research program.
传统的眼底手术要求眼科医生具备精细的操作技术,但即便拥有再精湛的操作技术,眼底手术还是存在很大的风险性。因此,为了减少手术风险,提高手术质量,对传统眼底手术进行改进是十分必要的。近年来,在我国对于人工智能产业的大力支持之下,应用于各类行业的机器人随之诞生。机器人辅助系统(robot auxiliary system,RAS)在医学领域,特别是眼科学中应用广泛。对近几年RAS应用于眼底手术的案例进行整理总结,并将RAS参与的眼底手术以及传统的眼底手术进行对比,可以发现RAS在眼底手术中的应用可以显著提高手术效率,并降低手术风险。未来RAS的发展趋势可能着重聚焦于与深度学习算法的紧密结合。通过算法对手术中的视野图像进行预测、优化,从而让高精度的眼底手术更加高效、安全。
Traditional fundus surgery requires ophthalmologists to be equipped with sophisticated operating techniques, but even with the most sophisticated operating techniques, fundus surgery still has great risks. Therefore, in order to reduce the risk of surgery and improve the quality of surgery, it is very necessary to improve the traditional fundus surgery. In recent years, with China’s strong support for the artificial intelligence industry, robots used in various industries have been born. Robot auxiliary system (RAS) is widely used in the medical field, especially in ophthalmology. By summarizing the cases of fundus surgery with RAS in recent years and comparing the fundus surgery involving RAS with traditional fundus surgery, it can be found that the application of RAS in fundus surgery can significantly improve the efficiency of surgery and reduce the risk of surgery. The future development trend of RAS may focus on the close integration with deep learning algorithms, which can predict and optimize the field of view images during surgery so that high-precision fundus surgery can be more efficient and safer.
人工智能是对人类智能的模拟和拓展。基于深度学习的人工智能可以很好地利用图像的内在特征,如轮廓、框架等,来分析图像。研究人员通常利用图像来诊断眼底病,因此将人工智能应用于眼底检查是有意义的。在眼科领域,人工智能通过分析光学相干断层扫描图像、眼底照片和超宽视野图像,已经在检测多种眼底疾病上取得了类似医生的性能。它也已经被广泛应用于疾病进展预测。然而,人工智能在眼科的应用也存在一些潜在的挑战,黑盒问题是其中之一。研究人员致力于开发更多的可解释的深度学习系统,并确认其临床可行性。人工智能在最流行的眼底病中的最新应用、可能遇到的挑战以及未来的道路将一一阐述。
Artificial intelligence (AI) is about simulating and expanding human intelligence. AI based on deep learning (DL) can analyze images well by using their inherent features, such as outlines, frames and so on. As researchers generally diagnoses ocular fundus diseases by images, it makes sense to apply AI to fundus examination. In ophthalmology, AI has achieved doctor-like performance in detecting multiple ocular fundus diseases through optical coherence tomography (OCT) images, fundus photographs, and ultra-wide-field (UWF) images. It has also been widely used in disease progression prediction. Nonetheless, there are also some potential challenges with AI application in ophthalmology, one of which is the black-box problem. Researchers are devoted to developing more interpretable deep learning systems (DLS) and confirming their clinical feasibility. This review describes a summary of the state-of-the-art AI application in the most popular ocular fundus diseases, potential challenges and the path forward.
慢性肝病(chronic liver disease, CLD)是一种或多种损伤因素长期作用于肝脏导致的疾病总称,其影响范围广、患者人群基数大。病毒性肝炎、非酒精性脂肪性肝病和终末期肝病等慢性肝病会累及眼底,造成视网膜渗出、出血等病变;同时眼底结构改变,如脉络膜和视网膜不同层次厚度,也与慢性肝病严重程度相关。对慢性肝病患者进行眼底检查不仅用于防治相关的眼底并发症,也对肝病临床评估及监测具有潜在应用价值。文章综述不同病因、严重程度和药物治疗下的慢性肝病患者可能出现的眼底病变,以及眼底结构功能检查在慢性肝病患者中的临床应用进展,以比较不同眼底检查方法在慢性肝病患者临床实施过程中的特点及适用场景,并提示未来在慢性肝病患者中应用眼底检查的潜在新方向。
Chronic Liver Disease (CLD) is a collective term for diseases resulting from the long-term effects of one or more damaging factors on the liver. It has a broad impact and affects a large patient population. Viral hepatitis, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, and end-stage liver disease can involve the ocular fundus, leading to retinal exudates and hemorrhages. Additionally, structural changes in the fundus, such as the thickness of the choroid and different retinal layers, are associated with the severity of chronic liver disease. Through fundus examinations in patients with chronic liver disease, not only can ocular complications related to liver disease be prevented and treated, but these examinations may also offer potential value in the clinical assessment and monitoring of liver disease. This article reviews the potential ocular fundus abnormalities in patients with chronic liver disease under different etiologies, severities, and drug treatments. It discusses the progress in the clinical application of fundus structure and function examinations in patients with chronic liver disease. It compares the characteristics and appropriate clinical scenarios of various fundus examination methods in these patients and suggests potential new directions for the future use of fundus examinations in chronic liver disease management.
目的:依托最新的第5代移动通信技术(5th generation wireless systems,5G),构建基于眼底图片的5G医疗眼科远程诊断平台,促进医疗资源上下贯通,提升基层服务能力及医疗服务体系整体效能。方法:基于5G时代医院的信息化发展战略,在海南省卫生健康委员会的资助与指导下,中山大学中山眼科中心海南眼科医院与中国联通通信集团海南有限公司等进行跨行业、多学科的技术力量研究开发,构建5G条件下的平台建设模块和技术路线,确定远程眼科诊断流程,并在海南省内多地区应用。结果:远程诊断平台运行良好。2020年12月至2021年11月,本研究共在海南省17个地区的186个卫生院中开展,共收集1561例患者眼底病图片数据,筛查阳性例数为185例,检出眼底病总阳性率为11.9%。其中有42例需要转诊治疗,转诊率为23%;143例不需要转诊治疗,非转诊率为77%。在1561例眼底图像中,采集异常的眼底图像有490例。排除490例异常眼底图像后,辅助诊断系统与人工诊断结果有1 002张眼底图像诊断相同,69张眼底图像诊断不同,其辅助诊断系统准确率为93.3%。结论:5G移动通信与远程医学影像结合,运用互联网科技催生新型医疗生产力,提高卫生经济的质量和效率,是医疗领域探索5G应用场景的一项应用典范。
Objective: Relying on the latest 5th generation wireless systems (5G), a remote primary ophthalmology care diagnosis platform based on fundus images was constructed in order to promote the connectivity of medical resources and improve the primary health service capabilities and the overall effectiveness of the medical service system. Methods: Based on the 5G informatization development strategy of hospitals, and under the funding and guidance of the Hainan Provincial Health Commission, the Hainan Eye Hospital of Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center and China Unicom Communications Group Hainan Co., Ltd. conducted a cross-industry, multi-disciplinary technical research. To build platform construction modules and technical routes under 5G networks, present the remote ophthalmological diagnosis process, and apply it in many regions in Hainan Province. Results: The performance of the remote diagnosis platform is well. From December 2020 to November 2021, this study was carried out in 186 health centers in 17 regions of Hainan Province. A total of 1 561 patients with fundus disease image data were collected. The number of positive screening fundus disease cases was 185. The total positive rate was 11.9%. Among them, 42 cases required referral for treatment, with a referral rate of 23%, and 143 cases did not require referral for treatment, with a non-referral rate of 77%. Among 1 561 cases of fundus images, 490 fundus images were excluded due to abnormal quality. Compared the results of the diagnosis platform system with manual diagnosis, 1 002 fundus images were identical, and 69 fundus images were different in diagnosis. The accuracy of the auxiliary diagnosis system was 93.3%. Conclusions: The collaboration of 5G mobile communication and telemedicine imaging, combined with internet technology to promote new medical productivity, improve quality and efficiency of the health economy. This study is an application model for exploring 5G application scenarios in the medical field.
巨噬细胞样细胞(macrophage-like cells, MLC)指起源、功能与巨噬细胞类似的免疫细胞,包括小胶质细胞、玻璃体细胞及巨噬细胞。将en face OCT显示层面设置在视网膜表明即可观测到视网膜表明的 MLC(epiretinal MLC, eMLC),随后利用ImageJ软件即可对细胞进行提取和量化。研究表明,eMLC在炎症情况下均可出现细胞募集及活化现象,但在不同眼底病中各具特点。在糖尿病视网膜病变、视网膜静脉阻塞等视网膜缺血缺氧性疾病中,eMLC密度越高,黄斑水肿可能越严重。此外,eMLC密度更高的视网膜静脉阻塞患者抗VEGF疗效更差,视力预后不佳,提示基于en face OCT的eMLC不仅可用于评估视网膜炎情况,而且还能充当提示疾病疗效及预后的标志物。在葡萄膜炎等免疫炎症性疾病中,en face OCT亦可观测到eMLC密度、形态等改变。白塞病葡萄膜炎患者视网膜血管渗漏程度与eMLC密度相关性强,故eMLC密度可充当无创评估视网膜血管渗漏程度的新指标。然而,目前提取和量化eMLC的方法及标准不统一,降低了各研究间的可比性。因此,亟需制定统一的操作规范和评估标准。此外eMLC 所代表的具体细胞类型及功能仍需进一步探究。未来,研究者可以利用en face OCT对眼底炎症地进行无创评估。基于en face OCT的eMLC还能作为基础研究与临床研究之间的桥梁,为揭示疾病的致病机制提供重要参考。
Macrophage-like cells (MLC) refer to immune cells that originate from and function similarly to macrophages, including microglia, hyalocytes, and macrophages themselves. By setting the display level of en face OCT to the retinal surface, epiretinal MLC (eMLC) can be observed and subsequently extracted and quantified using ImageJ software. Studies indicate that eMLC can exhibit cell recruitment and activation in inflammatory conditions, each displaying distinct characteristics in different retinal diseases. In ischemic and hypoxic retinal conditions such as diabetic retinopathy and retinal vein occlusion, higher densities of eMLC are associated with more severe macularedema. Moreover, patients with retinal vein occlusion showing higher eMLC densities tend to have poorer responses to anti-VEGF treatments and worse visual prognoses, suggesting that eMLC identified via en face OCT can be used not only to assess retinal inflammation but also as biomarkers for disease efficacy and prognosis. In immune-inflammatory diseases like uveitis, changes in eMLC density and morphology can also be observed through en face OCT. Inpatients with Beh?et's disease, a strong correlation exists between the degree of retinal vascular leakage and eMLC density, making eMLC density a potential non-invasive marker for assessing retinal vascular leakage. However, the current methods and standards for extracting and quantifying eMLC are not unified, significantly reducing comparability between studies. Therefore, there is an urgent need to establish uniform operational protocols and assessment standards. Furthermore, the specific cell types and functions represented by eMLC observed via en face OCT require further investigation. In the future, en face OCT could be utilized for non-invasive assessment of retinal inflammation. eMLC based onen face OCT could also serve as a bridge between basic research and clinical studies, providing valuable insights into the pathogenic mechanisms of diseases.
肥厚型脉络膜谱系疾病(pachychoroid disease, PCD)是一组以病理性脉络膜增厚为共同特征的疾病谱系。其特征性改变包括Haller层脉络膜血管扩张,脉络膜毛细血管层和Sattler层变薄,以及肥厚血管(pachyvessels)上视网膜色素上皮(retinal pigment epithelium, RPE)的异常。PCD主要包括单纯肥厚型脉络膜病变(uncomplicated pachychoroid, UCP)、肥厚型脉络膜色素上皮病变(pachychoroid pigment epitheliopathy, PPE)、中心性浆液性脉络膜视网膜病变(central serous chorioretinopathy, CSC)、肥厚型脉络膜新生血管病变(pachychoroid neovasculopathy, PNV)和息肉状脉络膜血管病变(polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy, PCV)。传统眼底检查因单张成像局限于后极部,难以全面评估病变范围。广角影像技术突破了这一局限,其成像范围覆盖后极部至赤道部涡静脉壶腹部(约60°~100°),而超广角成像更可达后极部至锯齿缘(约 110°~220°)。这一技术的进步不仅扩大了PCD眼底病灶的观察范围,更提升了对脉络膜结构和功能的评估能力,为深化研究PCD的发病机制提供了新的视角。近年来,基于深度学习的人工智能技术在PCD辅助诊断方面取得重要突破,展现出优异的PCD相关疾病识别和分类能力,有助于显著提升基层医疗机构诊断效率,并推动医疗资源优化配置。文章综述了广角眼底影像技术在PCD评估与诊断中的研究进展,旨在为眼科临床工作者和研究者提供最新的技术应用视角,并为进一步探索PCD的病理机制和诊疗方法奠定科学基础。
Pachychoroid disease (PCD) represents a group of disorders characterized by pathological choroidal thickening. The characteristic changes include dilated choroidal vessels in Haller's layer, thinning of the choriocapillaris and Sattler's layer, and retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) abnormalities overlying the pachyvessels. The PCD primarily encompasses uncomplicated pachychoroid (UCP), pachychoroid pigment epitheliopathy (PPE), central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC), pachychoroid neovasculopathy (PNV), and polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV). Traditional fundus examination is limited to the posterior pole in single-frame imaging, making it challenging to comprehensively evaluate the extent of lesions. Wide-field imaging technology has overcome this limitation, with its imaging range covering from the posterior pole to the ampulla of vortex veins at the equator (approximately 60-100°), while ultra-wide-field imaging can extend from the posterior pole to the pars plana (approximately 110-220°). This technological advancement has not only expanded the observation range of PCD fundus lesions but also enhanced the assessment capabilities of choroidal structure and function, providing new perspectives for investigating PCD pathogenesis. In recent years, deep learning-based artificial intelligence technology has achieved significant breakthroughs in PCD-assisted diagnosis, demonstrating excellent capability in identifying and classifying PCD-related diseases. This has contributed to significantly improving diagnostic efficiency in primary healthcare institutions and optimizing medical resource allocation. This review summarizes the advances in wide-field fundus imaging technologies for the assessment and diagnosis of PCD.
眼底老化是年龄相关性黄斑变性(age-related macular degeneration, AMD)发生和进展的关键因素及病理基础,在组织病理学上主要表现为脉络膜毛细血管萎缩、布鲁赫膜(Bruch's membrane, BrM)增厚以及视网膜色素上皮(retinal pigment epithelium, RPE)异常。BrM增厚可由多种眼底老化沉积物聚集引起,在AMD的病理机制中具有重要作用。其中,基底薄层沉积物(basal laminar deposit, BLamD)代表了RPE基底膜的弥漫性增厚,通常作为一种正常眼底老化改变。而以酯化和未酯化胆固醇等中性脂质为主的RPE基底膜下沉积物,即基底线性沉积物(basal linear deposits, BLinD)和软性玻璃膜疣,均可参与破坏脉络膜与外层视网膜间物质交换稳态,造成外层视网膜缺血、缺氧及氧化应激,是AMD早期重要病理改变。硬性玻璃膜疣主要分布于周边视网膜,多见于正常老化眼底;表皮玻璃膜疣是RPE基底膜局灶性结节状增厚的结果,眼底表现与硬性玻璃膜疣相似,但其主要分布于后极部,数量更多且密度更高。近年来逐渐加深了对视网膜下玻璃膜疣样沉积物(subretinal drusenoid deposit, SDD)的认识和研究,其是位于RPE上方的沉积物,在AMD发病机制中亦具有深刻意义。文章就几种眼底老化相关沉积物(包括硬性玻璃膜及表皮玻璃膜疣)的病理特征和多模态影像学表现进行综述,旨在帮助认识和理解这些沉积物的眼底表现、病理特征和形成机制,以及在AMD发生及进展中的临床意义。
Fundus aging is a key factor and pathological basis for the development and progression of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), which is histopathologically characterized by choroidal capillary atrophy, Bruch’s membrane (BrM) thickening, and abnormalities of retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). BrM thickening can be induced by the aggregation of age-related fundus deposits and plays an essential role in the pathogenesis of AMD. Basal laminar deposits (BLamD) represent diffuse thickening of the basement membrane of RPE, usually considered to be a normal fundus aging. Basal linear deposits (BLinD) and soft drusen, mainly composed of neutral lipids such as esterified and unesterified cholesterol, can disrupt the homeostasis of material exchange between the choroid and the outer retina, resulting in ischemia, hypoxia, and oxidative stress in the outer retina, which are important pathological changes in the early AMD. Hard drusen is mainly distributed in the peripheral retina and is very common in aging fundus; Cuticular drusen are resulted from focal nodular thickening of the basement membrane of RPE, with similar appearance as hard drusen, but mainly distributed in the posterior pole and more numerous and denser. Recently, our understanding of subretinal drusenoid deposits (SDD), deposits above the RPE, has been gradually deepened and it also has profound significance in the pathogenesis of AMD. In this review, we presented the pathologic features and multimodal imaging of age-related fundus deposits (including hard drusen and cuticular drusen), aiming to help recognize and understand the manifestations, pathologic features, and formation mechanisms of these deposits, as well as their clinical significance in the development and progression of AMD.
目的:探讨出血型视网膜大动脉瘤及合并症的红外光反射成像(infrared light reflection, IR)和眼底荧光血管造影(fundus fluorescein angiography, FFA)的影像特征。方法:采用回顾性病例系列研究。收集2010年2月—2024年6月在河南省立眼科医院确诊的出血型视网膜大动脉瘤患者35例35眼,所有眼均行IR联合FFA检查,其中10眼行吲哚菁绿血管造影(indocyanine green angiography, ICGA)检查,分析视网膜大动脉瘤及其合并症的眼底影像学特点。结果:IR检查显示34眼视网膜大动脉瘤体呈囊状反射光。FFA检查显示27眼视网膜大动脉瘤呈囊样强荧光,此外,FFA检查还发现5眼伴视网膜分支静脉阻塞,1眼伴视网膜分支动脉阻塞。FFA组在视网膜大动脉瘤检出率低于IR组(P <0.05)。在10眼出血型视网膜大动脉瘤中,IR组和ICGA组在视网膜大动脉瘤检出率方面比较差异无统计学意义(P >0.05)。结论:IR检查对于出血型视网膜动脉瘤的检测可等效于ICGA检查,IR联合FFA检查适合于出血型视网膜大动脉瘤及合并症的个体化诊断。
Objective: To evaluate the imaging characteristics of infrared light reflection (IR) and fundus fluorescein angiography (FFA) in hemorrhagic retinal artery aneurysm and its complications. Methods: Retrospective case series study was used. The clinic data of 35 patients (35 eyes) were diagnosed in Henan Eye Hosptial from February 2010 to June 2024. All eyes were examinated by IR and FFA, and 10 eyes examinated by indocyanine green angiography (ICGA). The fundus imaging characteristics of hemorrhagic retinal artery aneurysm and its complications was analyzed. Results: The images of IR presented 34 eyes with cystic strong reflex light. FFA showed 27 eyes with cystic strong fluorescence, in addition, FFA revealed 5 eyes with retinal branch vein occlusion and 1 eye with retinal branch artery occlusion. The detection rate of hemorrhagic retinal artery aneurysm in the FFA group was lower than that in the IR group (P =0.038<0.05). There was no significant difference in the detection rate of hemorrhagic retinal artery aneurysm between the IR group and the ICGA group in 10 eyes with hemorrhagic retinal artery aneurysm (P =1.000>0.05). Conclusion: IR examination could be equivalent to ICGA examination for detecting hemorrhagic retinal artery aneurysm, and IR combined with FFA examination is suitable for individualized diagnosis of hemorrhagic retinal artery aneurysm and its complications.
荧光素眼底血管造影(fundus fluorescein angiography, FFA)是眼底疾病诊疗不可或缺的检查技术。虽然开展已有半个世纪,但临床工作者在FFA操作的规范性、科学性、安全性和结果同质性仍有不少顾虑和问题,同时缺乏相关指南和共识可供参考。中国微循环学会眼微循环专业委员会眼影像学组专家就FFA操作规范达成本共识,就开展FFA的条件和配置、适应证和禁忌证、检查前准备、检查操作程序、不良反应及处理、造影后患者告知和处理、造影报告等方面为FFA临床操作工作者提供建议和指导,以期在临床实践中获取良好眼底影像、减少不良反应、提高检查质量效率。
Fundus fluorescein angiography (FFA) is an indispensable examination for the diagnosis and treatment of ocular fundus diseases. Although FFA has been carried out for half a century, clinicians still have many concerns and problems in the standardization, scientificity, safety and result homogeneity of FFA practice, and there is a lack of relevant guidelines and consensus for reference. The experts of the Ophthalmic Imaging Group of the Ocular Microcirculation Division of the Chinese Society of Microcirculation reached a consensus on the standardized practice of FFA, providing suggestions and guidance for FFA operators about the clinical conditions and configurations, indications and contraindications, pre-examination preparation, examination procedures, adverse reactions and treatment, patient notification, and angiography reports, in order to obtain good fundus images, reduce adverse reactions, and improve the quality and efficiency of FFA examinations in clinical practice.